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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 2727542" data-attributes="member: 3146">I don't think the idea is as flawed as Rystil's analysis suggests. First, I notice that he uses a level 5 tank fighter vs. the ECL 4 half-dragon barbarian. Let's see what happens if we switch that up a bit:Orc barbarian (base str 22) with gauntlets of ogre power (for a 28 strength when raging), weapon focus, and a masterwork weapon. Level 5 to be even. The orc's attack bonus is +16 (+5 BAB, +9 str, +1 weapon focus, +1 masterwork). Now, the human tank is still unhittable by Expertising for 5 and fighting defensively while using a tower shield, but that's only at level 5. Drop it down a couple levels and he's not unhittable or increase the comparison a couple levels and he won't be quite unhittable either--because Expertise caps out at 5 points, the level 5 is a very favorable comparison for the tank. If the orc picks up a bless, prayer, haste, bardsong, or some combination of those, the human fighter won't be as unhittable as he thinks either.Moreover, remember that the tank is at -10 to hit while performing this manuever (-5 Expertise, -3 fighting defensively, -2 tower shield), so if the orc is an otherwise unimpressive AC 15 (+1 chain shirt, +2 dex, -2 rage), the human tank (str 16, weapon focus, +1 weapon for +10 to hit normally) still needs to roll decently in order to hit him.More significantly, he's also at -10 to opposed rolls if the orc decides that he's tired of that huge AC and is going to sunder the human's weapon or shield instead of just dealing damage.My own prediction is that this house rule would make tanks more effective in that role, but would most likely lead to increasingly interesting and tactical combats as enemies used bull rush to get past tanks and into the less protected areas of the party, disarm and sunder to destroy those pesky shields and/or to deprive tanks of what offense they do have, and trip to make tanks hittable. That doesn't seem like such a bad thing.The only really important thing would be to make sure it doesn't apply to animated shields.</blockquote>

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